


Restoration

by Tamarinds (yenni)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Forgiveness, Moving On, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-21 03:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9529868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yenni/pseuds/Tamarinds
Summary: It’s Ya Boy. And he likes someone's mom.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The thought of these two came to my mind and never left?

“Hala! How much longer do I have to do this Rock exercise?” Guzma calls back his Ariados. “This ain’t doing a thing for my Bug types!”

“Respecting your opponent,” Hala starts from his position outside the raised battle platform, “involves respecting _all_  pokemon types!

“Argh!” Hala has assembled Rockruff and Lycanroc from the area to counter his attacks on the wooden stage in Iki Town and the exercise was proving to be taxing on his pokemon’s endurance. “How much more?” He offers the upcoming Lycanroc a grimace.

“Keep it up! I'll tell you when—and all without using more than one move!”

“Ah! Fine! Take this!" Guzma flings a pokeball in the air. "Pinsir! Show ‘em who’s not stepping down!”

Pinsir cries out and readies to attack as Hala stands by, eyes focused on the battle, arms crossed.

 

The sun sets and Guzma wipes at the sweat accumulating on his chin as yet another Rockruff chirps up with an undeserving confidence. “Gross.” Guzma calls his Scizor back and Hala pats his shoulder.

“Good work, Guzma.”

The former boss swallows down the glow threatening to escape at the words of praise, mildly succeeding, rose speckled onto his cheeks. “Pfft. Yeah, did you expect less?”

Hala laughs heartily. “You can re–”

“Hala!” Hala’s family and neighbors crowd his sides, plates of food in their hands with one including fresh malasadas. “Come and join us in the hall. Aunties finished cooking and everyone’s here!”

Hala begins talking to the crowd in earnest, conversations quickly muddling together. Guzma allows his gaze to get lost in the trees and emptiness opposite the displays of overbearing affection. They continue talking over one another, forming an indistinct background murmur as he focuses on the void. His mind being coaxed to play a reel of memories, aged and distasteful, until a laugh cuts through his thoughts.

“You’ll need to teach me how!” The source, a woman in a long yellow skirt and foreign mannerisms with hair loosely held back by sunglasses, stands out from the others crowded under the warm Alolan sun.

With his eyes still fixed on her, Guzma leans to his side to tap the yet-distanced Kahuna's shoulder. “Ey, ey. Hala.” He whispers as the man faces him, “who’s that?” Guzma nods his head over Hala’s shoulder.

Hala glances behind him and at the sight of the woman snaps back to Guzma with furrowed brows. “ _That_ is not a woman you go bothering. Understand?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Guzma feigns disinterests and decides not to challenge the tone of the elder. He is much too tired from his exercise to bother, so he logs the image away in his mind to investigate at a later time. “So we gonna eat?”

“You must first feed all the pokemon you battled.”

“What!?”

 

* * *

 

Guzma leaves the Pokemon School under a darkened sky, grumbling over his battle with the Principal. Hala sent him here to battle with the instruction to pay attention to battle styles other than his own and receive critical feedback from teachers. The whole thing was annoying and he hates to say he learned something so he won’t.

The battles did, however, wear his pokemon out. He walks into the Pokemon Center adjacent for a heal before his usual way home. He hands his pokemon over to the nurse and her Comfey and waits while leaning against a nearby wall, mind unwillingly recalling earlier battles and techniques. Not that he _really_  cares.

“Your Meowth is all set!”

“Thank you!”

Guzma is pulled from his _not_ analysis in a cursory glance only to do a double take. It is the woman he asked Hala about days earlier. She takes her Meowth—in a different color from others—from Nurse Joy and proceeds to cuddle it.

“Ready to go home?” She asks softly.

Guzma gulps. The Meowth in her arms mewls before she places it on the floor. She returns to a seat surrounded with shopping bags and grips the handles of a few of them. He can tell she is having difficulty carrying them and his muscles react quicker than his brain.

“Looking like you're in need of some help." He says from her side. "I can take those bags for you.”

“Oh!" Her face lights up with a large smile. "The kindness of Alola! Are you sure? You don't have pokemon here?”

“They should be–”

He is cut off by a familiar phrase chiming from behind the counter. “Your pokemon are ready!”

Timing is on his side. He swivels on his foot, noticing he is suddenly feeling light-headed, and retrieves his pokemon. “Thanks.” He pockets his precious team and turns back to the woman, solidifying his intent with corresponding arm gestures. “See? All good. So I can carry them.”

“Goodness, and so eager too!” She nods and he retrieves the three remaining bags on the floor. He feels a warmth creeping up from the back of his neck. “And who do I have to thank for the help this evening?”

“Guzma. The name is Guzma.” He breaths deep, trying not to fluster.

“Thank you, Guzma! I overdid shopping today, but my house is really close. I promise we'll be there in a flash. Let’s go, Meowth.”

The Meowth cries in high spirits as the three exit the center.

 

The walk could not have been more than five minutes as they reach a house near the edge of the Outskirts. “Ah. Home sweet Alola.” She giggles before moving up the steps to open the door. “Thank you for all your help." She doesn't look back to him as she enters to set the bags on the table, house already lit. "I didn't think there would be such chivalry at the Pokecenter.”

It takes Guzma a moment to realize she is allowing him to enter. He timidly steps forward, stealing glances at cardboard boxes stacked in a corner as he kicks the door behind him slightly to leave it open a crack. “Yeah. No problem. I, uh," he places the bags alongside the ones on the table, "I’m from the area so I can help again. You know?” His eyes avoiding hers. 

At a sharp intake of breath, her eyes widen slightly and gleam in his direction. “Wow, you're too kind. The culture of Alola is truly welcoming! I admire it so much!”

Guzma’s eyebrow twitches as he recalls his countless, gutless, dismissive remarks about 'tradition'. He painfully swallows his nerves and pride to distance himself from _that_ Guzma. Maybe there is something to this realizing-you’re-wrong thing Hala is always talking about. “Y-yeah. Sure is. Been about it since childhood.”

"Oh?" Curiosity laden in her tone. "Have you done the Island Challenge then?" Meowth leaps up to a basket of berries on the counter behind her and sniffs them.

"Yeah." Confidence rising as he recalls his achievements, the respect of his skills, with a grin on his face. "It was a breeze for someone like me. I'm a pretty strong trainer." 

The woman squeals at this. “My Sun has battled all the strong trainers in Alola—he swears! Maybe you have even battled him at some point?”

Reveling in the excitement, Guzma leans a hand onto the table's surface, relaxing his pose. “Yeah. Maybe. Who’s the fighter?”

“Sun! Sun is my son.” She chuckles. “That is so much fun to say.”

Guzma’s stomach drops as his veins run cold. Sun? _Sun_!? The Sun he treated like crap because, well, not only did the brat deserve it, but he was a constant thorn in his unchallenged superiority. Team Skull ain't around anymore but-! He can’t tell the kid’s mom any of that! He thought he was making a good impression! Damn it! Guzma, _what is wrong with you_!?

“Guzma, are you alright?”

A hand is on his shoulder as he stills, stopping mid-spiral into his anxiety. He lifts his head to see her unexpected close proximity. Unknowingly, he lapsed into to one his fits of self-loathing. “Oh," teeth on the verge of grinding, "yeah.” He grips his bicep with one hand as he rights himself up, her hand slipping away.

The look of concern remains on her face. “I'm sorry. Did I ask- I–"

“No!” Guzma breathes slowly, collecting himself, and clears his throat. “Nothing like that. Just distracted.”

“Guzma…”

“Um. Sun.” Her expression unreadable now. “He’s,” Guzma holds his tongue back, “a strong lil one.”

“Oh!” She exhales with evident relief as the familiar smile reappears, recovery swift. “He does say so! I'm so happy you have met him. Sun talks about beating many strong trainers, so it’s nothing to be ashamed of! With someone like Hala on your side, you’ll challenge him in no time.”

It takes a few blinks before Guzma realizes he is simply staring at her. “Y-yeah? Thanks.” He comes to the conclusion hates this, whatever _this_ emotion is that is controlling him right now, but not entirely. In a gesture he assumes is out of parental habit, she reaches for his chin in comfort and he calms at the warmth. “Remember what I said. You need some help, I’ll be around. I don’t live far off and I'm with Hala everyday, so–"

“Truly?" Her hands come together, palms and pads of fingers against one another. "That is phenomenal. I’ll be sure to call on you when I need you.”

“Whenever is fine!” He hurriedly adds and embarrassment doesn't fail to fill his senses.

“Oh, Guzma. You don’t need to push yourself on account of this helpless woman. You are enjoying Alola, too.”

 

* * *

 

Guzma knew he liked her before he ever put the words together.

It was by another stroke of luck that she was in the Hau'oli City Shopping Mall after he finished a streak at the Battle Buffet. She waved him over from the viewing area of the Ride Show and he realized it then: he was willing to adapt, be different, for the sake of another interaction with her. This meeting proved to be the first of many coincidental meetups at Hau’oli City and Iki Town. Each time, he didn't think twice about giving her priority over anything else in that moment. In a few more days, she was calling him to help with various tasks and, true to his word, he would show up.

Sun has yet to be present for these beginnings of—what Guzma hopes is—romance. He is relieved he doesn't have to face the brat just yet. It will be a long while until that meeting takes place since Guzma has to stop mentally calling him 'brat' for starters. In the mean time, he is enjoying the opportunities he has had to learn more about her. She told him about her motivation for moving to Alola stemming from when she saw a certain wrestler with his pokemon in Kanto. The thought almost made him gag on the spot, but Guzma could actually remember Kukui leaving after completing his Challenge while he amped his Bug training. 

She also let it slip that she has been alone with Sun for some years now. Something about the taking care of the items left to Sun by his father. If Guzma were honest, he hadn't even considered the possibility that a husband would be an obstacle at all for him. The former gang boss is high on a vision that only sees her in his future.

Today, he walks up to her door, arms occupied with a filled tub, and in an almost-routine move, kicks the bottom of the door to signal his arrival. Within seconds, the door swings open.

"Oh, there you are!" She steps back to allow space as Guzma lowers the tub of berries in the dining area with a huff. "Thank you again, Guzma. I definitely would not have been able to secure a haul this big from Berry Fields in one trip!'"

He tries to hide the pride at her admiration and fails. "Place is practically next door for me. Could make additional trips even."

"And plenty of Meowth's favorites, I see."

"Mrrrowr!" 

"Yup!" She says to the variant Meowth before directing her attention to him. "Would you care for a snack, Guzma?" She walks into the kitchen, as he moves to rest his arms on the countertop. "I just made sandwiches for Sun and his friends."

"Sun is here?" He can't restrain his nerves at the possibility of meeting the kid he regularly threatened and give it up that Sun has a mom he is really into. 

"Just left. He was in such a hurry. They all had a big battle somewhere."

Relief frees his locked joints with the dodge. "If you didn't eat we can just get something in Hau'oli."

"Silly, Guzma, you just came from that direction."

 "It's not a big deal for me." Pricks of nervousness seep through his skin at the attempt to take her out for a meal.

"But it is! Plus, I have the sandwiches I made for me and you right here." She reaches for the plate, back to him.

With a drop in her tone, Guzma picks up on something she has not been hiding. "Ya miss him?"

"Of course I do." She turns, a plate with neatly cut sandwiches placed in front of him, her face contemplative. "He makes me wish I could go on my own Island Challenge."

He chuckles. "Not a bad idea. I could even train you."

Her laugh is noncommittal. "Meowth and I would need a lot."

"That doesn't bother me! They don't come better than me and I would take you to the top easy!"

"In that case," she moves the plate to the table and takes a seat as Guzma wordlessly follows "I should really brush up on my skills."

"Don't even worry about that stuff. I got all the time you need."

"Oh," she takes a sandwich piece and whispers, "thank you."

Her gratitude lifts his spirits. "Yeah. I—Wha-?” Something pricks his leg and Guzma looks under the table to find Meowth. It is next to his foot and probably readying to scratch his pantsleg once more. “Hold up there," he picks a berry from the basket beside him. “Chew on this instead. I know you want to.”

The Normal feline snatches the berry and runs off with its prize. “Aw!" The woman looks to the pokemon's direction, "Meowth likes you." 

That the only one that does or-? "I don't blame 'em." He grins smugly, taking a sandwich himself. "So you seen all of Melemele yet?"

Meowth returns with a jump on the table, sans berry, and illicits a laugh from her. "Not yet! I'm still unpacking the house." 

"That's the vibe here. Don't rush." Not that this line has necessarily been applicable to him.

"Mm! Indeed!"

Guzma takes a deep breath, thinking he should be more direct. "Have you been to Kala'e Bay?"

"Oh!" Her eyes glitter at the mention. "That was the one advertised on the flight here. It looked so beautiful, but before I knew it I fell to the allure of the slow days of Alola." She dreamily sighs as her shoulders slump and she closes her eyes. 

"Yeah, well," Guzma coughs low enough to dislodge the lump his throat and reclaim her attention, "I can take you there to see it. O-or anywhere else you'd want to go. No one knows Melemele like me."

"Really?" She scratches Meowth's chin, focusing on its face. "Maybe I can leave the unpacking for another day." 

"Mrrow!" Meowth hops off the table and rushes out the open door to the balcony. 

"I take that as Meowth agreeing! It is always a good time to enjoy the warm sun of Alola." With a laugh she walks out to join Meowth. "Guzma, come out here! It's great!"

Guzma hastly finishes his portion and follows, finding Meowth perched on the railing and Sun's mom with her sunglasses over her eyes. She laughs with a hand splayed dramatically over her mouth. "Guzma!" She reaches to lower his own spectacles onto his face. "Now, we're ready to take on Alola."

The beating in Guzma's chest accelerates alarmingly and there is only one thing he can concentrate on. “I—I!” Guzma takes her hand between his, “I really want to date you!”

Her eyebrows rise as color blooms on her cheeks. He tries not to gulp as he waits for her answer. “Oh, Guzma. You’re not interested in this old woman.” She says quietly.

“Don’t say that!," He can take her rejection, he thinks, but he will not let her believe what she said. "You’re perfect! You already have everything all figured out and you’re even a kickass mother! You have all the support I need!" Guzma is nearly out of breath when he says all this. He can't bring down the height of his emotions in this moment.

“Well, when you say it like that,” Guzma’s mouth goes dry as she lifts her sunglasses to reveal the warmth in her eyes, “I don’t think I can find it in my heart to say ‘no’.”

 

* * *

 

“You didn't heed my warning Guzma.”

“Huh?” Guzma arrived at his training session with Hala that morning to find the Kahuna standing with folded arms atop the battle podium.

“I told you stay away from Sun’s mother and yet I hear that the opposite has happened.” For some reason, this tone gets under his skin; the accusation in those words. Guzma growls under his breath. “Your answer will determine my next move.”

Brows furrow under bleached hair and over sunken eyes as he joins Hala on the stage opposite his side. "I ain't doing anything wrong," he mimics the Kahuna's pose by crossing his own arms to taunt, "and I don't know why this concerns you."

Hala continues as if Guzma never interjected. “Answer this question: What does she thinks of you?”

A weight settles in Guzma's chest as his air intake is suppressed. “As,” he has no idea how to answer, so he stalls. “As a- it's a- I'm-"

“Then it’s settled.”

“What?” Anger broils through him, masking his confusion. 

“We are to battle!"

“What!?"

“You have not considered this." Hala brandishes a pokeball and, in a flash, Crabominable materializes in front of him. 

Guzma's nerves are at a limit. His face twists and he reaches for a pokeball. "Ahh!" He throws a pokeball and Masquerain appears.

"Hmph. Justifying your mistakes so soon? Crabominable, Ice Hammer!"

"Masquerain, go high and use Air Slash!"

Crabominable's ice flurries from its claw as Masquerain flies up. Masquerain dodges, but Crabominable maintains a steady onslaught of Ice, keeping the Flying attack at bay, and one swipe manages to hit Masquerain's wings weakening it considerably.

"Ngh! What the hell, Hala?"

“You are being foolish!” Crabominable seems to frost the air around it as Hala bellows out his words.

“How!?” Guzma challenges.

“You haven't considered who you are to Sun's mother." Hala stretches out his arm, Crabominable imitating the action. "Are you ready to take on that role—to be a father to Sun!?”

Guzma’s torso tightens. His father. _His_ father. A father. “She never asked that!” His voice loses the hostility.

“What do you think, Guzma?” Hala says quietly, shaking his head.

Guzma falls to sit on the back of his heels, a stance in battling he has not taken in a while, and knows one thing. “I’ll be with her," his voice determined yet low, "I’m listening to her and I can– I can do what she expects of me.”

“Can you?”

“She believes in me!” Guzma quips back, his breathing haggard. “And I can do that for her, too.”

"Come back Crabominable! Hariyama!" He looks into Guzma's eyes with a chilling stare as Hariyama walks closer. "You need to take this seriously."

Guzma returns Masquerain. "Damned if I haven't!" Guzma stands, tossing a pokeball and Golisopod comes out.

"I won't let you walk away without getting rid of that arrogance once and for all!"

"Bring it on, old man!"

Guzma is too worked up. He calls out moves and rushes head on, lacking strategy and planning. Hariyama lands a hit while Golisopod hasn't landed one, but is still in good shape. He can't concentrate, thoughts preoccupied with being wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Why is everyone focused on knocking him down!?

“What is a father, huh?" Guzma screams out. Voice tethering on a limit. "Who needs one of those!?”

“You are responsible for the people in your life, Guzma!”

“I don’t need to be a father to take care of anyone!”

“You are wrong, Guzma. Who you are to Sun’s mom means you are as important to Sun. You will automatically be his father!”

“Then I’ll be better than that!" Guzma's voice scratches, "Better than she needs! Better than a father! Golisopod!” But Hariyama has left the battle stage and Golisopod stands before its trainer. "Golisopod," Guzma breathes before calling him back. His adrenaline runs empty and Guzma kneels unflatteringly to the floor, hanging his head.

"Guzma." A pair of feet enter his vision with a soft voice. “Guzma, are you ready to heal and gain a family?”

 

* * *

 

Guzma's room is still laden with his awards, but those were never significant to him. There is nothing he needs in this house, essentials are on him as mother enters the room.

“Guzma, honey, are you sure about this? You don’t need to worry about pesky things bothering you here.”

“It’s fine.” Guzma responds quietly. He is permanently moving out of this house and it is the last tie that needed to be severed.

“Will you need help settling in? If you forget anything, let me know.”

“Nah, mom. I can handle this.”

“Oh!” His mother continues fussing and he tunes it out. His mother has babied him and it was definitely too much. She carried the same attitude with his father, blissfully overlooking the obvious for the sake of appearing like a model family. He is not interested in staying here any longer. His parents’ grip is what kept him from leaving behind all the damage that occurred in this house. He still has a margin of respect for his mother, but he can never get over that she stood by when he needed her.

"Alright. I think I'm finished." He cuts her off.

Her hands cradle is face as he remains stoic. “When did you grow up in the time you were gone?”

 

Guzma arrives at Hala's compound and is greeted by an apprehensive Hau at the Kahuna's side. "Hau will show you where you'll be staying." The Kahuna says as his grandson tugs gently on his clothing. The elder is sharp, sensing the aura from the boy before glaring slightly at Guzma. "Guzma?" His tone is implying, demanding from the boss. It is not unwarranted. 

"Ngh." Guzma feels the need to spit on the floor to accentuate the difficulty in acknowledging his mistakes, but he doesn't. Hala told him it isn't too late to own up to his shit. "Sorry, kid." A hand behind his neck. He's done a lot of things that he can't apologize for so he might as well get the ones he can out of the way.

Hau's eyes widen, softening with understanding. "Wow." He whispers. The boy smiles and nods. "Welcome!" In a swift movement, Hau takes his hand and rushes him away through a door.

After a loud groan from Guzma, Hala leaves his grandson to help with getting the hang of the place once more, just like when he was training under the Kahuna. The grandson has taken to explaining all that Sun has achieved so far throughout the island and it is a lot. Guzma feels exhausted merely listening to it so he lays down on the bed with a loud exhale. Hau is looking out the window in the bedroom he has been granted and his voice goes soft, "do you think Lusamine is doing better?"

Hell if he- "I don't know. Some people are too far gone."

"Gladion and Lillie don't think so."

Guzma can't see him from his vision fixed on the ceiling, still he cocks an eyebrow at this morbid curiosity. These kids were all there. They all saw the extremes inflicted on that woman. Not that he can say he is exempt from it completely. He was once desperate to find a joke of salvation in her. Regrettably, very much so. He shrugs. "Ain't no one going to stop them."

A creaking sound and Guzma looks over to Hau glancing at him with a serious face, eyes somber. "You were with her, too, weren't you? Wasn't she your friend?"

There were a lot of complicated issues that went into their cooperation. He always thought that it was the lowly scum of Alola that had problems that formed gangs like Team Skull, but that lady. Damn. When it comes down to it, he doesn't understand it and everyone has to make their own decision about how to handle familial ties. Like he did. "So they will handle her." His tone is harsh so he takes a breath to level it. "We don't know what's going to happen."

The boy looks around, a bit of shock in his movements, before returning to face him. "It worked for you."

"What did?"

Hau tilts his head. "Isn't that why gramps brought you here?"

"I guess so."

  

* * *

 

Guzma looks down his form and instinctively rubs his hands over the awful clothes gracing his body, grimacing for the fiftieth time. His pants are borrowed from that nerd Molayne with a shirt from—would you believe it—Kukui, but he refused to give up his jacket. There is only one reason he permits such lame fashion.

"Guzma!" A woman holding a large bag over her shoulder approaches with a familiar yellow skirt and sunglasses in her hair. "Sorry about the delay! I didn't know Route 3 was so winding! Thankfully, I got some help." She turns around to wave at a sightseer holding his phone. "Thank you!" It takes a surprising amount of effort to quell the rage he feels towards the tacky tourist, so he settles for a sneer while her back is to him. The look of fear on the sightseer's face before he took off was worth it. "Oh! He's in a hurry... He knew exactly where Melemele Meadow was."

"I could've brought you if that was the case."

"One tiny oversight. You do so much for me already, I can manage!" She suddenly stills and her eyes look him over. "Why are you dressed so differently?"

He shrugs, a defeated look on his face. "Was told I should try and look nice."

"Oh, Guzma," she picks at a strand of bleached hair, "I thought you always looked so cool." As his chest puffs with pride, she waves her hand dismissively. "Now, let's get going! It has been so long since I had a proper hike." She grips his hand and runs forward into the glows of Melemele Meadow.

The bright yellow of the meadow welcomes then and pokemon residing offer a gentle melody. "It's so gorgeous!" She exclaims as she runs into the meadow and he thinks she fits in here. "Oh!?" A Cutiefly lands on her skirt.

Guzma approaches her with a laugh. "Cutiefly. It probably thought you were a flower. Easy mistake."

"It truly lives up to its name. It's so cute!"

Guzma looks at the lone fly pokemon and then to her face. "You want it?"

A look of shock comes over her face accentuated with wide eyes. "The pokemon? Like...catch it?"

"Yeah. Why not? You want more Alolan pokemon anyway right?"

"Yes!" She pumps her arms carefully with the bee fly pokemon still at the bottom of her skirt. "Yes, I do!"

And just like that she makes him want to improve even more. "Alright." He takes an empty pokeball from a pocket and offers it to her. "Let's get you a Cutiefly."

**Author's Note:**

> "Yeah? Then what's her name?" Sun challenges.  
> Guzma has trained himself to immediately squash the feeling of wishing Team Skull still existed and sneers at the boy, "Mama*."  
> Sun collapses to the floor.  
> \---  
> *This refers to spouses who call each other "mama" or "papa."  
> \---  
> Guzma/Your Mom


End file.
